


Never to burn

by BeneathAScorpionSky



Series: Cyberverse drabbles [4]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Cyberverse
Genre: Gen, Hints at Megatron being a generally horrible person, Hot Rod is worried about his friend, Set after "The End of the Universe" and before "Rack'n'Ruin'n'Ratchet", Soundwave is a wild life magnet, The wall can't keep people from being friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:54:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22948129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeneathAScorpionSky/pseuds/BeneathAScorpionSky
Summary: Officially Soundwave and Hot Rod are on border patrol.But really they're just bird watching.
Relationships: Hot Rod & Soundwave
Series: Cyberverse drabbles [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1647748
Comments: 9
Kudos: 69





	Never to burn

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly mad that they never really interact after the Quintesson arc  
> so here I am  
> adding more inbetween scenes because honestly why didn't they build at all on the relationships they started during that arc???

Officially they were on patrol. 

  
But really, at whatever point, it usually turned into bird watching. 

  
Or, bird counting, since Hot Rod was too restless to just sit and watch. Actually, he didn't sit at all, pacing back and forth in circles as he pointed out one creature after another.   
Soundwave wouldn't himself be considered a particularly patient person, no more than Hot Rod himself, but he didn't have such a restless spark as the speedster and so was content to sit with his back to a crystal oak and watch, both the birds and Hot Rod. 

  
"Another blue one! That makes eight for me." 

  
"It is green," Soundwave contradicted. 

  
"Nah, you're just looking at it through the wall, throws the colors off." 

  
The bird in question was directly overhead but Soundwave didn't feel like arguing, he got enough of that with Megatron. 

  
"Hey," Hot Rod stopped pacing and came to stand inches from the wall "What wrong?"

  
Soundwave turned his gaze from the sky to the speedster "Nothing."

  
"Come on don't lie to me, what's up?"

  
Soundwave was suddenly extremely interested in the little glitch worm that had come marching up to say hello to him "Nothing is "up"."

  
"Soundwave," Hot Rod's voice became warning "If you don't tell me them I am going to come over there and you know if I come over there everything will be on fire."

  
Soundwave let the glitch worm climb up into his hand and brushed away Laserbeak when she became too interested in the fragile insect "It is Decepticon business, you could not help even if you wanted to."

  
"Hey if its bothering my friend then it _auto_ matically becomes my business," Hot Rod paused, waiting for at least a fizz of static to acknowledge his masterful pun. He became all the more worried when there was no reaction " _Wave_."

  
"It is Megatron," Soundwave folded his hands in his lap as the glitch worm continued marching up his shoulder "His behavior is concerning me. I have reason to believe he is keeping secrets from me and Shadowstriker."  
  
"I mean not to be all like I told you so or anything, but every Autobot for the past zillion years has been concerned by Megatron's behavior," Hot Rod sat down cross legged "Why did you guys even let him back anyways? He basically just ditched you guys. Why aren't you and Shadowstriker in charge?"  
  
"When Optimus returned, you did not stay as the commanding Autobot but deferred to him."  
  
"Well yeah, he's Optimus," Hot Rod said "But I mean, he stayed and helped fight the Quints, Megatron left. Heck, Megatron wasn't even helping before that, he was just sulking in the cryochamber bay."  
  
"He is Optimus," Soundwave repeated his visor tracking a flock of copper butterflies that alighted on his left shoulder "Optimus is to the Autobots as Megatron is to the Decepticons. Optimus inspires bravery and courage, Megtron strikes fear and obedience. I could never hope to ever have that level of control or respect from the Decepticons," Soundwave sighed, startling the nut and bolt squirrel that had begun inspecting his knee. When the Con settled back into stillness however, the little creature decided it was apparently safe to stay "I believe I am coming to understand more of Starscream then I ever wanted."  
  
"Oh, Hey, that is _not_ what I want to hear," Hot Rod bolted to his feet and smoke began to pour from the pipes on his arms as he prepared to vault the wall. Lazerbeak squawked and the nest of cable snakes that had been trying to root Soundwave's foot to the ground began to writhe, disturbed by the acrid scent.   
  
"Hot Rod no, stay on that side," Soundwave's voice turned especially monotone "There's nothing you can do, nothing that does not threaten the peace."  
  
"Right, right," Hot Rod lowered his arms and the metal began to tok-ping as it cooled "You're right, everybody's always right."   
  
He kicked at the ground "Why can't the answer ever be to run off on my first instinct? Why do I have to stop and think about everything?"   
  
"At least you have the presence of mind to stop or at least to listen," Soundwave chuffed "You'll learn. You have to."  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
Soundwave's visor narrowed to a slit of light "Optimus Prime is war torn and tired and much less stubborn than Megatron, likely to retire soon, very soon possibly. That will leave an empty spot at the top of the Autobot chain of command that will need filling."  
  
"And you think it will be me?" Hot Rod's laugh is sharp "With Prowl gone, it'll probably be Bumblebee."  
  
"Negative, Bumblebee is unlikely to be considered for a leadership position."   
  
"Optimus takes him on practically every mission," Hot Rod shook his head "No, I don't think it will be me."  
  
"It was not Bumblebee who was assigned to lead the expedition to restore the Allspark nor was it Bumblebee who gave his life to see that the mission was accomplished. It was not Bumblebee who pulled together a group of broken Autobots and disagreeable Decepticons and turned them into a team that could fight against the Quintessons, it was not Bumblebee who was assigned to a command console and who stayed at that console despite every circuit in his frame wanting to fight," Soundwave tilted his head meaningfully "It was not Bumblebee who refused to leave behind the Decepticon who had just ordered his death."  
  
"Well yeah that's the Autobot way, anyone would have done what I did."   
  
"Doubtful. That is the Autobot ideal but not many Autobots would hold to it, Hot Rod did, Hot Rod strives to be an ideal Autobot, therefore an ideal replacement for Optimus Prime."  
Hot Rod made a flabbergasted sound "Are you saying you think that I could be Prime?"  
  
"I think if you are not the next Prime then someone has made a mistake."  
  
Hot Rod shook his head but his spoiler was fluttering "We were supposed to be talking about you."  
  
"Were we?"   
  
"Soundwave, listen, I know becoming an Autobot isn't really an option for you like it was with Clobber, but please, promise me, if things get bad, like really bad, you'll cross the border. Come to Maccadams, somewhere you'll be safe."  
  
Soundwaved took a moment to answer, watching the turbofox that had slunk out of the forest curl up between him and the tree "I can take care of myself."  
  
"I know you can, but its Megatron, Megatron with a double barrel fusion canon and a Matrix of Leadership and powers. I know you're good Soundwave, trust me I know, but don't do anything stupid, don't do anything I would do," Hot Rod glanced upwards "I have to get back now. Have fun being a tree, if you sit there any longer you'll have agate moss growing on you."  
  
Soundwave hummed, not willing to move and risk disturbing the glitch worm, which was now perched on the crest of his helm, or the butterflies who now sat with their wings opening and closing in the sunlight, or the other creatures that had deemed him a safe and suitable napping spot. He had never really appreciated how wild Cybertron had been before the war, how "Cybertronian" meant more than the bipedal residents of Cybertron  
"Goodbye Hot Rod."  
  
"See you next time Soundy," Hot Rod took several paces before springing into the air and transforming. He rumbled away in his flashy alt back towards the city, leaving Soundwave behind in reluctant silence, forced to consider the consequences of whatever actions he might be forced to take against the Autobots at Megatron's cold sparked command.   
He was not looking forwards to whatever was coming next. Not considering the high risk of loosing the friendships he had forged in the wake of the Quintesson's chaos, those had become more valuable to him than any title or position of power.   
  
No, that would not be acceptable. 


End file.
